1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with use of novel, surfactants, specifically quats, based upon highly branched guerbet acids. The term "quats" is a shorthand for quaternary compounds.
2. Description of the Art Practices
Guerbet alcohols have been known for many years. Over the years there have been a number of derivatives patented. These materials can be oxidized into acids, which are raw materials for the preparation of the specific complex esters of the present invention. They possess the critical regiospecific guerbet linkage which when placed into amidoamine compounds and quats derived therefrom result in unexpected improvements in both liquidity and oxidative stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,121 to O'Lenick, incorporated herein by reference, discloses di-guerbet esters based upon the reaction product of both a guerbet acid and a guerbet alcohol. The guerbet acids of that invention are raw materials used in the preparation of the compounds of the present invention.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with novel cationic surfactants based upon a highly branched guerbet acid. The introduction of the guerbet branch into the quats of the present invention results in improved conditioning in personal care formulations as well as improved odor stability in the formulation and improved liquidity of the aqueous quat per se.
2. Description of the Art Practices
Quats are known in the art. Variation of carbon chain lengths in amido quats has direct effect upon the surfactant properties of the quat. While quats based upon short chain fatty acids can be made, they are germicidal and irritating to the skin and eyes. They also lack conditioning effects on hair. The use of fatty acids having more that 12 carbon atoms to make quats result in quats which provide foam in aqueous systems, but have little or no conditioning effects. The selection of a oleyl quats gives some improved viscosity, but the compound undergoes a process of oxidative instability referred to as rancidity, producing low molecular weight aldehydes with malodor. The availability of a liquid, oxidatively stable quat that can be used in personal care systems has been elusive prior to the compounds of the present invention.
The recent availability of guerbet acids and their reaction to make quats results in the preparation liquid stable quats, having outstanding emulsifying properties and are very acceptable for use in personal care applications.
None of the prior quats possess the critical guerbet moiety. Molecules of the current invention have the guerbet group in the quat.